Composite nuclear component, DLI-MOCVD method for producing same, and uses for controlling oxidation/hydridation

Abstract

Composite nuclear component comprising i) a support containing a substrate comprising a metallic material and a ceramic material ( 1 ), the substrate ( 1 ) being coated or not coated with an interposed layer ( 3 ) positioned between the substrate ( 1 ) and at least one protective layer ( 2 ) and ii) the protective layer ( 2 ) composed of a protective material comprising chromium; the process comprising a step a) of vaporizing a mother solution followed by a step b) of depositing the protective layer ( 2 ) onto the support via a DLI-MOCVD deposition process. The composite nuclear component has improved resistance to oxidation and/or migration of undesired material. The invention also relates to the use of the composite nuclear component for combating oxidation and/or degradation of the ceramic material contained in the substrate.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. Nuclear component chosen from a nuclear fuel cladding, a spacer grid, a guide tube, a plate fuel or an absorbent rod, comprising:
 i) a support containing a substrate comprising a metallic material and a ceramic material, the substrate being coated or not coated with an interposed layer placed between the substrate and at least one protective layer, the substrate comprising a metal body sandwiched between an outer body made of ceramic-matrix composite material and an inner body made of ceramic-matrix composite material, the outer body and the inner body covering, respectively, the outer surface and the inner surface of the metal body which are, respectively, the surfaces which are facing and opposite to the medium external to the nuclear component; 
 wherein the interposed layer comprises at least one interposed material chosen from chromium, tantalum, molybdenum, tungsten, niobium, vanadium, alloys thereof, a titanium nitride, a titanium carbonitride, a mixed titanium silicon nitride, a mixed titanium silicon carbide, a mixed titanium silicon carbonitride, a mixed titanium aluminum nitride and mixtures thereof; 
 ii) said at least one protective layer coating said support and composed of a protective material comprising chromium chosen from a partially metastable chromium comprising a stable chromium crystalline phase comprising chromium of centered cubic crystallographic structure according to the Im-3m space group and a metastable chromium crystalline phase comprising chromium of centered cubic crystallographic structure according to the Pm-3n space group, an amorphous chromium carbide, a chromium alloy, a carbide of a chromium alloy, a chromium nitride, a chromium carbonitride, a mixed chromium silicon carbide, a mixed chromium silicon nitride, a mixed chromium silicon carbonitride and mixtures thereof. 
 
     
     
       2. Nuclear component according to  claim 1 , wherein the nuclear component has a tubular geometry and is a nuclear fuel cladding, a guide tube or an absorbent rod. 
     
     
       3. Nuclear component according to  claim 1 , wherein the metal body has a mean thickness less than the mean thickness of the outer body or less than that of the inner body. 
     
     
       4. Nuclear component according to  claim 1 , wherein the metal body is composed of a metallic material chosen from niobium, tantalum, tungsten, titanium, or base alloys thereof. 
     
     
       5. Nuclear component according to  claim 1 , wherein the outer body and the inner body each comprise an identical or different ceramic-matrix composite material, chosen from Cf/C, Cf/SiC or SiCf/SiC. 
     
     
       6. Nuclear component according to  claim 1 , wherein the interposed layer comprises an outer interposed layer and/or an inner interposed layer covering, respectively, the inner surface of said at least one protective layer and the outer surface of the substrate which is, respectively, the surface of the protective layer which is opposite to the medium that is external to the nuclear component and the surface of the substrate which faces the medium that is external to the nuclear component. 
     
     
       7. Nuclear component according to  claim 1 , wherein the nuclear component further comprises a liner placed on the inner surface of said support which is the surface of said support which is opposite to the medium that is external to the nuclear component. 
     
     
       8. Nuclear component according to  claim 7 , wherein the liner comprises an upper liner covering the inner surface of said support and/or a lower liner covering the upper liner. 
     
     
       9. Nuclear component according to  claim 1 , wherein said at least one protective layer is an outer protective layer which coats the outer surface of said support which is the surface of said support facing the medium that is external to the nuclear component, and/or an inner protective layer which coats the inner surface of said support coated or not coated with the liner. 
     
     
       10. Nuclear component according to  claim 7 , wherein the material of which the liner is composed comprises a titanium nitride, a titanium carbonitride, a mixed titanium silicon nitride, a mixed titanium silicon carbide, a mixed titanium silicon carbonitride, a mixed titanium aluminum nitride, or mixtures thereof. 
     
     
       11. Nuclear component according to  claim 1 , wherein the chromium alloy is chosen from a chromium/vanadium alloy, a chromium/niobium alloy, a chromium/vanadium/niobium alloy or a chromium/aluminum alloy or the carbide of the chromium alloy is chosen from a carbide of a chromium/vanadium alloy, a carbide of a chromium/niobium alloy, a carbide of a chromium/vanadium/niobium alloy or a carbide of a chromium/aluminum alloy. 
     
     
       12. Nuclear component according to  claim 1 , wherein the mixed chromium silicon carbide is of “MAX phase” type. 
     
     
       13. Nuclear component according to  claim 12 , wherein the mixed chromium silicon carbide of “MAX phase” type is chosen from a mixed carbide of formula Cr2SiC, Cr3SiC2 and Cr5Si3C2, or mixtures thereof. 
     
     
       14. Nuclear component according to  claim 1 , wherein the protective material is doped with an addition element chosen from yttrium, aluminum, vanadium, niobium, molybdenum, tungsten, or mixtures thereof. 
     
     
       15. Nuclear component according to  claim 1 , wherein said at least one protective layer has a structure comprising a composition gradient and/or an equiaxed structure. 
     
     
       16. Nuclear component according to  claim 1 , wherein several protective layers of identical or different composition form, respectively, a homogeneous multilayer protective coating or a heterogeneous multilayer protective coating. 
     
     
       17. Nuclear component according to  claim 16 , wherein the heterogeneous multilayer protective coating comprises protective layers composed of:
 chromium and amorphous chromium carbide, or 
 chromium and chromium nitride, or amorphous chromium carbide and chromium nitride, or 
 chromium, amorphous chromium carbide and chromium nitride, or 
 mixed chromium silicon carbide and chromium, or 
 mixed chromium silicon carbide and amorphous chromium carbide, or 
 mixed chromium silicon carbide and chromium nitride, or 
 mixed chromium silicon nitride and chromium, or 
 mixed chromium silicon nitride and amorphous chromium carbide, or 
 mixed chromium silicon nitride and chromium nitride, or 
 mixed chromium silicon carbide and mixed chromium silicon nitride. 
 
     
     
       18. Nuclear component according to  claim 1 , wherein the protective material comprising chromium is chosen from a partially metastable chromium comprising a stable chromium crystalline phase comprising chromium of centered cubic crystallographic structure according to the Im-3m space group and a metastable chromium crystalline phase comprising chromium of centered cubic crystallographic structure according to the Pm-3n space group, a chromium alloy, a carbide of a chromium alloy, a mixed chromium silicon carbide, a mixed chromium silicon nitride, a mixed chromium silicon carbonitride and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
       19. Nuclear component according to  claim 1 , wherein the protective material comprising chromium is chosen from a chromium alloy, a carbide of a chromium alloy, a mixed chromium silicon carbide, a mixed chromium silicon nitride, a mixed chromium silicon carbonitride and mixtures thereof.